Victoria's gambling regulator charges  Hotel Tower

Victoria's gambling regulator charges  Hotel Tower

 The Tower Hotel's operator, Rumotel Pty Ltd, has been prosecuted by the Victorian gaming and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) for violating the state's gaming control laws.
 For allegedly operating gambling machines without the YourPlay required pre-commitment technology installed, the Victoria Tower Hotel is facing 34 charges in Victoria.  A further complaint was brought over a purported failure to guarantee that employees had finished required training.

 Installing YourPlay on gambling machines is mandatory for all Victoria licensees.  Users can monitor their machine play and establish optional time or money limitations with YourPlay.

 The VGCCC has responded by directing Tower Hotel to stop using gaming machines completely until the issue is resolved.  A maximum fine of AU$758,172 (£390,833/€454,542/US$488,443) might result from the 35 charges.

 According to VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt, "Any venue operator who does not allow players to set time and spend limits through the YourPlay system is in violation of a key legal obligation aimed at protecting the community from gambling harm."

 "We are keeping a close eye on venues' adherence to the mandate that all electronic gambling machines have access to YourPlay.  Those who wilfully or opportunistically break their commitments will be pursued.

 Comparable ALH charges in Victoria
 Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) was also fined by the VGCCC last month for comparable violations.

 The VGCCC conducted inspections at several ALH locations in Victoria after receiving an anonymous report in late 2021.  220 gaming machines were found to be operating without YourPlay installed by the regulator.

 The VGCCC accused ALH of 62 offences in November 2022 of neglecting to make sure YourPlay was correctly installed on computers at 62 of its 77 locations.  ALH was fined $550,000 and ordered to pay VGCCC $50,000 in legal expenses following a magistrates court hearing.

 In August, BlueBet was also accused of violating advertising regulations, and the operator could be fined up to $945,187.  Over two weeks last year, BlueBet put three gambling advertisements on billboards throughout Victoria.  

 According to the VGCCC, this violated state rules that forbid the display of static gambling advertisements in specific areas.  Sites on or above a public road, road infrastructure, or road reserve, as well as within 150 meters of a school's boundary, are prohibited.

 Tabcorp's record fine
 But the biggest penalty was saved for Tabcorp, which was mandated to pay a record $1.0 million last week.  This had to do with how it behaved after a significant system failure in 2020.

 For about thirty-six hours during the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival, Tabcorp's Wagering and Betting System was offline.  The system must always be accessible in accordance with the Wagering and Betting Licence and Agreement. 

 During an investigation, the VGCCC questioned Tabcorp's actions.  It also criticised the operator for how it handled the VGCCC's case-related directives.

 The VGCCC ruled that the regulator should have imposed a record fine due to the severity of the violation.  Additionally, the VGCCC cited Tabcorp's "repeated failure" to follow instructions.